American Donates Over 20 Chartered Jets for Snowball Express Airlift

American Airlines and the Gary Sinise Foundation partner to send families of fallen heroes and first responders on a free holiday retreat to Disney World.

Caleb Revill

Wednesday, December 11, 2024 at 04:23 PM ET

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Edited By: tccjeremy

American transports Gold Star families to Disney World [Credit: Orlando International Airport]

Key Takeaways:

American Airlines and the Gary Sinise Foundation brought over 1,700 family members of fallen military service members to Disney World for an all-expense-paid "Snowball Express" holiday retreat.
American Airlines provided significant support by donating over 20 chartered aircraft and thousands of commercial flight seats, transporting families from over 90 U.S. cities and international locations.
The annual five-day event, supported by American since 2006, honors families who sacrificed loved ones, aiming to uplift their spirits during the holiday season.
This year's program will also transport over 1,000 family members of fallen first responders, bringing the total number of participating families to over 2,700.

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American Airlines and the Gary Sinise Foundation (GSF) brought over 1,700 family members of fallen military service men and women to Orlando, Florida, on Saturday for an all-expense-paid holiday retreat at Disney World.

Dubbed “Snowball Express,” the five-day event honored families of those who sacrificed their lives in service to the nation. American donated over 20 chartered aircraft and thousands of seats on commercial flights throughout its global network to fly these families from over 90 U.S. cities and international locations in and out of Disney.